Summer Love
by aiden.c
Summary: Summer is a time for innocent flings and lovely fun. Who said James' and Lily's summers were any different? In four parts.
1. Chapter 1

1. The Beginning

_If I could take you into paradise up above, if you could tell me I'm the only one that you love, life could be a dream, sweetheart._

There she lay, surrounded by daisies in a meadow not far from where her family resided. The salty scent of low tide wafted over the trees, tickling her nose. Her old red bicycle sat a ways away, discarded in her haste to immerse herself in the scent of the flowers. With her rich auburn hair splayed out beneath her, she twirled a daisy between her forefinger and thumb absentmindedly.

A low humming brought her from her pleasant daze. She raised her head, shifting her weight to her forearms as she glanced at the intruder. A robust adolescent made his way into the meadow, with a mess of ebony hair upon his head and round wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. She groaned and laid back down, vexed.

"Get out of here, Potter."

"Not your field, Evans. I don't see your name anywhere," he replied smoothly.

"Still, I was here first. So by the Royal Queen's Decree of 'Get the Hell Out of Here', I must ask you to leave."

He chuckled. "Who knew you were capable of making a joke? A1 as well. Good job, Miss Lily."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she quipped, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, but I'm so used to its merits!" He began making his way over to where Lily lay engulfed in the white-petaled blossoms. James lowered himself down next to her and continued, "Can't you make an exception?"

Lily turned her head, beholding his puppy-dog expression upon his face. His strong facial features did him well. The common belief of his status as second hottest guy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry proved true in Lily's eyes, though she'd never admit it. She smiled at him and averted her gaze once more.

"Fine. Just this once."

"Really?" James asked in disbelief.

"Nope!" Lily laughed. James smiled at her ploy.

"Two jokes in one day. Are you getting tired yet?"

"You know, James, I actually do joke around people I actually like. So, to answer your question, no. I'm not tired yet," Lily teased.

"I'd like to be one of those people. Sounds like good fun, hearing you joke around."

"We'll have to see about that, Mr. Potter." She heard James shift his weight beside her as he got up.

"Why not see to it right now?" he asked, extending his hand. She raised an eyebrow in question, then shook her head and grasped the offered palm. He looked surprised at her course of action, but quickly regained his prior composure.

"May I ask where you are taking me?" she inquired. James led her blindly through the trees, taking sharp turns and avoiding the trunks skillfully, considering the speed at which they were going. He'd left the path almost immediately, in favor of trying his luck at navigating the forest on instinct. The pungent scent of the tide grew stronger the further they went, to the point that Lily felt like the ocean was mere meters away.

"No, you may not," he replied. "Its a surprise, and if I told you where we were going, it'd be ruined."

"Then I must inform you that I hate surprises."

"You'll like this one. You'd have to be bloody batty to not like this surprise."

This sort of exchange, foreign to both, went on until they reached their destination. James had covered Lily's eyes with his hands and cautiously led her down a narrow path. He removed his callused hands and Lily saw where they were.

They'd reached the sea. Cool sand massaged the soles of her feet and the soothing sound of waves lapping against the shore relaxed her nerves. He'd taken her to a small cove secluded from the rest of the congested beach. She turned to face James and smiled.

"This is amazing."

"Told you you'd be mad not to like it."

_*insertpagebreakhere*_

James and Lily laid next to each other on the sand of the cove. Night had fallen, and stars twinkled above them. Lily was captivated by the clarity of the night while James was entranced by her sparkling emerald eyes, her soft waterfall of auburn hair, her slender figure. How had he not seen it before? She was beautiful.

"The stars really are gorgeous," Lily said, breaking the silence. She turned her head to face James and saw that his hazel eyes were already on her. He smiled.

"Not nearly as gorgeous as you," James said under his breath. Lily's quizzical expression led him to believe that he had said it aloud.

"Shut up," Lily teased, turning her attention back to the map of stars above them. James slowly slid his hand into hers and squeezed it gently. Her eyelids grew heavy and began to flutter. The last thing she saw before falling asleep were soft hazel eyes, belonging to James Potter.

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_A/N: This was written for comebacksirius' Summer Love challenge, using the song Sh-Boom from the musical Crybaby. Another multipart story, so the next part shall be uploaded soon! (hopefully... I do have an interesting life to lead, you know!) As always, leave me a little note saying what you think, what your favorite part was, how your life is going, what your world cup picks are, yadda yadda. It makes my day hearing from you all! Until next time._

_Much love, Sadie_


	2. Chapter 2

2. The Middle

_Every time I look at you, something is on my mind._

"Okay, mum! Can I go now?"

"Not yet. Now Lily, no more overnights with this boy. Be home by 10-"

"But mum! James is taking me somewhere special. I don't know if that'll be enough time! I'll call, how about that?"

"No, Lily! You've said that you'll call many times before and yet, hmm, no call! You'll be home by 10. I bet that James will understand."

Lily sighed in defeat, kissed her mother on the cheek, and bolted out the door. Outside, James Potter stood in her driveway, waiting with a blindfold in his hand. The sun had begun to sink into the horizon, past the roofs and treetops, tinting the sparse clouds beautiful shades of pink and purple.

"My mum said to be back by 10, or else, so maybe we should skip the stumbling-in-a-blindfold part in the interest of time," Lily shared as she approached James.

"Grand to see you too, Lils," James chuckled. "And I'm all for saving you from the inevitable bruises, but I swear that this will be so much better with the element of surprise!"

Lily rolled her eyes and turned to allow him to tie the black strip of fabric around her eyes. He gently knotted the ends and took Lily's extended hand to guide her. After a little while, she felt the firm concrete of the sidewalk shift into soft terrain which she assumed was grass. She was led through the forest (she knew they were in the forest because, as predicted, she'd whacked her shins on many tree trunks) and by the time they stopped, peepers had begun to communicate with one another and mosquitos were viciously attacking all exposed skin.

"We're here, Lily," James whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She reached to pull the blindfold off her face, countered by James' callused hands. He worked the knot loose and removed the fabric from her line of vision. She gasped.

They were in the same cove that James had showed her the first night they were together, except that parts of the shore were strewn with daisies and there was a picnic basket lying in the sand. The moon had begun its climb into the sky and the sea gently lapped at the shore.

"This is amazing."

"You know, Lily," James speculated as he made is way over to the picnic basket. "That is exactly the same thing you said last time I brought you here. Let's try a little different word choice."

"This is super duper stupendous, James," Lily teased.

"Perfect."

When all the food (kindly prepared by Mrs. Potter) was relocated to their stomachs, they lay next to each other, observing the stars above them. James confidently grasped Lily's hand, soothingly stroking it with his thumb.

"When I'm with you," Lily began, "I forget that there is a war brewing. I like that."

"I like you."

"Shut up."

"I'm being serious!"

"As was I!"

James let out a deep breath, remaining silent for a spell. "Things aren't going to change between us when school starts, right?"

"I could tell you no, most certainly not, but that'd be a lie. Truthfully, I don't know. We still have a few weeks to figure it out."

"I don't want anything to change," James whispered.

"Then don't dwell on it," Lily said. "Just think about the now."

James wasn't completely consoled. His feelings for the redhead had escalated to the point where he'd love nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. He knew that if his best mates got wind of these feelings, he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"Speaking of the now, we really should be getting you back home. It's quarter to ten," James said. Lily nodded and began collecting the empty tupperware containers, storing them in the picnic basket. Once everything had been restored to its prior state, the duo began trekking back through the woods to the Evans household.

They reached the doorstep and Lily leaned over to press her lips softly to James'. "Don't worry about the future, just focus on right now," she told him before disappearing into the house.

"Right now, I really wish there would promise of a future," James whispered.

* * *

_A/N: Part two posted! Decent lapse of time between posts, wouldn't you agree? Oodles of thanks to those who reviewed/favorited/alerted! Let me know what you think of the story so far, what could be changed, what made you smile, anything your heart desires! _

_Much Love, Sadie_


	3. Chapter 3

3. The End

_Hello, hello again, sh boom and hopin' we'll meet again._

James' brow creased in confusion. "How do you mean?"

"It's just that we're both different people at school. You're a prat and I'm a tight-arse, that's just the way it is. You know it as well as I do; this wouldn't work," Lily explained, gesturing between the two of them.

"Can't we at least try?"

"I'd rather not," Lily admitted. "Why don't we just end it, and leave it as a near perfect memory."

"Near perfect? What parts weren't perfect enough for you?"

"You know I don't mean it like that-"

"Do I? Because for me, this summer has been pretty bloody perfect. If you disagree, I'd love to be enlightened as to what you found wrong with us."

"I found nothing wrong with us, but-"

"But what? You knew this was coming all along, didn't you?"

"It was probable, yes, but it's not like I want this to end!"

"This is about your pride," James stated. When she didn't reply, merely hung her head, he continued. "Perfect prefect Lily has to preserve her precious reputation, which would be ruined if she walked onto the train tomorrow hand in hand with James Potter."

"Honestly, it isn't you. It's me," Lily said, silent tears staining her cheeks.

"Don't give me that. You can end it on all the wrong accounts, fine, but never feed me that line. It always comes dripping with pity."

Lily hoisted herself off the park bench and placed a delicate hand on James' shoulder. "For what it's worth, despite knowing that this is where it would end, I loved spending this summer with you. The most I can ask of you is that you don't think of being with me as a mistake, because I know that I don't consider all that time with you a mistake. I'll see you at school, James." With that, she pressed something into his hand and made her way out of the park, only allowing herself to cry once she was out of earshot.

James felt a tear escape his eye, roll down his cheek, and land in his lap. He opened his hand to reveal what Lily had given him: a single wilted daisy.

* * *

_A/N: I know, I know... I suck. It's short and blatantly lacking in fluff of any variety, but a criterion of the challenge (which YOU, yes you, should go and give it a shot. Right now. Summer Love Challenge, conducted by comebacksirius, and can be found on the HPFC challenge forum) was that the couple had to suffer the fate of most summer romances: they had to break up. If you hate me, that's cool; if it makes you feel any better, I got whacked in the head with a boom today while sailing, so that's karma for you. As always, please let me know what you think! Tell me anything you wish, whatever your heart desires! Thanks **so** much to my reviewers. I'm giving you so much thanks that it's in italics AND bold! :)_

_Much Love, Sadie_


	4. Chapter 4

4. A New Beginning

_If only you would let me spend my whole life loving you, life could be a dream, sweetheart._

"Prongs! Get your lazy arse over here! A bird's come to see you," Sirius Black demanded.

James groaned and rolled out of his bed. The last few weeks had been utter torture. He'd had to witness Lily interact with the entire student population, save for him, in such a carefree way. She certainly wasn't the stickler she used to be. And while she mingled with students and teachers alike, James was stuck in a funk so restricting that he retained none of his prior charm, and could only talk to his very best friends, even then conversations were rare and sparse.

He sauntered towards the door, which was being held closed by an ever-dramatic Sirius. What girl would come to see him? As far as he was aware, he'd been absolutely dreadful company for the past few weeks to anyone not named Sirius, Remus, or Peter, and he was even pushing the limit with them. James raised his eyebrows expectantly, to which Sirius replied with a drumroll and a knowing wink.

"And I present... Miss Lily Evans!"

James' breath hitched in his throat as the door swung open to reveal none other than the Head Girl. Her auburn hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and now that he was close to her, he could see that there were bags under her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping, at least not well nor in sufficient amounts, yet he hadn't the slightest idea why.

"Sirius?" Lily asked timidly. "Could you give us a minute?"

"Most definitely, Miss Lily," Sirius obliged. He strutted out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room, trusting that his best mate would give him the play-by-play of the exchange later. The two had been as close as brothers since the first moments at Hogwarts, and he was right to assume that he'd be receiving the full scoop afterwards.

Lily cleared her throat. "May I come in?" James simply swept his arm through the air, gesturing for her to enter. She found a perch on Remus' bed, the only relatively clean part of the dormitory. She drew in a deep breath and began.

"I'm not always right, you know. I make mistakes, all sorts of mistakes. I just don't like anyone to know that I'm far from perfect." James nodded for her to continue. She stood and strode to where James was leaning against his bedpost. He noticed that she had one hand behind her back, hiding something. "James, I made a mistake. I can't sleep, I can't eat, it takes all my will to simply get out of bed. As much as I hate to admit it, I need you. If I could be so lucky for you to take me back, I'll never let my bloody pride take priority ever again."

James nodded again, for an entirely different reason than to urge her on. His mind was reeling, his heart screaming to take her back. "What is that behind your back?"

She withdrew a fresh daisy, holding it out to him. "It's pretty dumb, but all this did start in a field of daisies."

He stared at the flower for a moment, mind made up. She raised her eyes to meet his, a hint of expectation swimming in the rich emerald. He drew in a breath and captured her lips with his. After a few moments, they broke apart with identical smiles on their faces.

"Though daisies are fantastic," James breathed. "I've always preferred lilies."

**

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**_A/N: ¡EL FÍN! I tried to lengthen it as much as possible without rambling, but it still isn't very long. For that, I am sorry. :( You don't even know how thankful I am for my reviewers/favoriters/alerters! I love you all to pieces! And with that, I must state that there's more love to go around! Tell me what you liked, what you hated, something that made your heart swell, something that made you weep, anything! Until next time, adieu, and keep this holy kiss. (R+J reference, anybody?)_

_Much Love, Sadie_


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